NEW YORK — A New York City restaurant is making patrons who want to dine inside to take a COVID-19 test provided by the business.
But there’s a catch — each test comes with a $50 price tag that customers have to pay, WNBC reported.
The entire payment goes to the testing company, restaurant representatives said.
City Winery is a wine-infused restaurant and live entertainment venue. It says it is the first restaurant that will test every customer starting next week.
A certified tester will use a shallow nasal swab to conduct the rapid test on all customers and employees, WNBC reported.
As they wait for the results the restaurant will give them a beverage. If they test negative, patrons will still have to abide by COVID-19 protocols of mask-wearing and temperature checks, AM New York reported.
The tests will only be conducted two nights a week, according to a statement posted by company representatives to the City Winery Facebook page.
We believe that hospitality is all about making our customers comfortable and given the pandemic, that starts with...
Posted by City Winery NYC on Wednesday, November 18, 2020
The restaurant’s CEO, Michael Dorf, said he hopes the city government and health insurance will cover the cost of the test eventually.
Some commenters on the Facebook post do not agree with the move.
One person said, “So the people who can afford it will be guaranteed a ‘Covid-free environment,’ and those who can’t take their chances on a no testing night.”
This is currently a pilot program at the New York City location, according to a news release from the restaurant.
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